Losing You *a FINGERPRINTS fanfic*
by Kiwigurlie11
Summary: not a Fearless fanfic, but a fanfic of a book much like it. The series is called Fingerprints, and thats what my fanfic is about :) read it PLEEEEASE!!!!
1. Read First

Okay, this ISNT a Fearless fanfic. Sorry, its not. Its actually a FINGERPRINTS fanfic, but there's no category for it!!! anyway, anyone who likes Fearless, will like Fingerprints by Melinda Metz, i guarentee you. Same idea, but this girl can read people's minds by touching their fingerprints. For lovers of the series, you will understand this perfectly. Others...well, i suggest AT LEAST reading Fingerprints #1, Gifted Touch. Then you will have a vauge idea of the storyline. Ok? Ok. :)  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters mentioned. If I later deside to make up my own charaters *sometimes I put myself in my stories, but im not sure this time*, then THOSE characters belong to me. Otherwise they are the property of the written genius Melinda Metz. Read her books cuz she ROCKS!!! :)  
  
~*~Ashley~*~ 


	2. The Accident

Chapter 1  
  
I'm getting nervous, Rae. That Anthony of yours may prove to be a problem. He's not as helpless as you are; and nothing can stand in the way of my revenge. Nothing. I'm just going to have to eliminate that little obstacle.  
  
Rae Voight opened a sleepy eye to the buzz of her clock radio. It was early Sunday morning, and she was suppost to meet Yana at the mall. She stepped off the side of her bed and made her way to the closet. She turned the handle-  
  
/Need new shoes/wonder if Anthony/the bikini/  
  
Trying to ignore the stream of her own thoughts running through her head. Her fingerprint power was useful at times, but other times it was just another annoyance. She fumbled through her clothes until she came up with a red sweater, black flares, and her suede boots. She barely ever wore the sweater, it was much too tight, but Yana would be upset if she wore anything too girly anyway.  
After applying her makeup she went downstairs to get a quick breakfast. She walked past her father to the refrigerator.  
"Good morning to you too," he said.  
She quickly turned around and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Hi dad." She pulled the door open-  
  
/Dad needs his coffee/donuts?/more juice/  
  
And pulled out a piece of grapefruit. She skipped the sugar she usually put on top. A honk of a horn outside told her Yana had arrived. She threw away the grapefruit peel and grabbed her purse off the chair.  
"Bye dad!" she said as she ran to the door.  
"Have fun," he said, somewhat sadly. Rae knew why. Every Sunday he would go to her mother's grave to water the flowers. She sometimes went with him, but only to be nice. Her mother was a murderer, after all. She opened the tiny tin of mush she kept with her and gave her fingers a quick dip before hastily shoving it in her purse.  
"Nice sweater," Yana complimented, "you're getting there. I'll anti-prep you yet."   
Rae laughed. Yana was wearing a tight top that said "Bad to the Bone", exposing her tattoo on her stomach of course, and bright red pants that looked almost plastic. "What's so bad about being a prep?" she joked. Yana wrinkled her nose in reply and started the car.  
"So, what are we after today?"  
"Hmmm…let's see…" Yana tapped her head in a thinking gesture, "shoes." She said finally.   
"What's wrong with my shoes?"  
"Can you say girly-girl?" and they both broke into bursts of laughter.   
"Hey," Rae remembered, "I never got to makeover you!"  
"Oh no," Yana rolled her eyes, "thought you'd forgotten about that."   
"Hell no. And our first stop is…" she paused dramatically, "Abercrombie and Fitch!"   
"Noooo!" and the laughter continued.  
They pulled into the parking lot and found a spot next to the Gap entrance. Rae had to practically pull Yana into that store. She grabbed her hand.  
"Watch the fingers!" Yana hissed, referring to Rae's power.  
"Don't worry, I put wax on them today so I can't pick anything up, not even fingertip to fingertip."   
Yana gave a sigh of relief. Rae felt there was a LOT of relief behind it, as if there were things Yana didn't want her to know.   
"Okay, Abercrombie first then, need to get that one over with," Yana said, pulling away from her. They headed down the mall until they got to the dreaded store. Rae giggled as Yana winced as if someone was pinching her.  
"Come on," Rae said, and they stepped into the store. She started scanning the shelves. She looked back at Yana; she had her arms around herself, being careful not to touch anything. Laughing, Rae grabbed a red and navy rugby shirt; button up, with a short jean skirt.  
"To the dressing room!" She said triumphantly, and pushed the clothes into her hand. She waited outside the door as Yana put the clothes on.  
"Come out and let me see!" Rae called to her.  
"No! This looks awful!"   
"Oh come on, come out!"  
Yana reluctantly opened the door. She had hiked up the skirt and rolled up the bottom of the shirt. Rae shook her head and Yana rolled her eyes and set it right. She was still wearing her spiky high heels and had her hair down in her face.  
"It's Abercrombie…but it's not an Abercrombie look." Rae decided.  
"I AM anti-crombie," Yana replied. She went back inside and changed into her old clothes. She came out and shoved the clothes back into Rae's hands.  
"Yes, I know you're Anti-Crombie, but I am getting you those clothes. You need some semi-preppy stuff in your wardrobe."  
Before Yana could protest she had the clothes on the counter and was handing the person behind the desk a few twenties.  
"I don't want you to spend that much on me," Yana said.  
"It's okay, you've saved my butt quite a few times, and you deserve it."  
They left the store and stepped back into the hustle and bustle of the mall. Somebody brushed by Rae, and she turned her head and gasped. She grabbed Yana's arm and pulled her to the side.  
"That's Aiden!" She hissed, keeping her eyes on him. She didn't think he had seen her, but she didn't want anyone to hear.  
"Let's go." And Yana started to follow him. Rae stuck close behind her.   
They had only walked for about 2 minutes before Aiden looked back. Crap, Rae thought as he turned quickly and broke into a run. She and Yana ran after him, staying about 20 feet behind. He turned left quickly and lost them in a crowd of people.   
"Do you think he was following us?" Rae huffed, out of breath.  
"Don't you mean following you?" Rae winced, she was right. Whoever was following her could care less about Yana. If it weren't for Rae, Yana would be in no danger whatsoever. No, Yana wants to help you, she reminded herself, even if you told her she'd be safer staying far, far away from you, she wouldn't go.  
"I think he was," Rae continued, "let's get back to the car."  
They went back to the Gap and out into the parking lot. Yana's yellow bug standing out against the other drab colors of the cars.   
"Hey, that car looks familiar!" Yana whispered, nodding in the direction of a green station wagon.  
"Oh my god, we've got to get out of here! That's the car that's been following me!" Rae's eyes darted around the parking lot, trying to see if anyone was watching. But the parking lot was deserted except for the empty cars. She climbed into the yellow bug and quickly buckled her seatbelt.   
"We're out," Yana said, and pulled the car out of the mall parking lot.   
"Let's take the back way, I want to know if someone is following us, it's harder to do that on a highway."   
"The scenic route it is then."  
She turned sharply onto a smaller road. Rae watched as they went by cows and barns, and other smaller houses. They were just getting into the less-populated area when Rae turned around to check behind them.   
"The station wagon!" she cried, noticing the green car behind them.   
"I'm gonna floor it, hold on!" and Yana made the car go practically full speed. The land was fairly flat, so there was less chance of having to make a sharp turn at that speed.  
"Did you see who it was?" Yana yelled over the wind gushing in through the windows.  
"I know this sounds soo Urban Legends the Movie knockoff, but he was wearing a hooded parka, I couldn't see his face."  
"Is he still behind us?"  
"No, you can slow down now!" Rae answered. She did not like going this fast, it scared her. There was a turn coming up too, if they didn't slow down it might get very dangerous. If they didn't turn, they'd hit a tree.  
"Holy crap, I can't slow down!"  
"Oh my god, you've got to slow down! There's a turn! We can't turn going this fast!" Rae screamed frantically.  
"I can't stop!" Yana screamed, fear showing in her voice.  
"Take out the keys!"  
"I've already tried that!"  
"Oh my god, hold on! Here it comes!"  
Rae closed her eyes as the yellow bug attempted the turn, but flipped over and crashed into the tree. Pain shot through her as her entire world suddenly went black. 


	3. A Cry For Help

Chapter 2  
  
Anthony fumbled for the phone as Anna lunged for it. She had this new desire to answer the phone. Anthony grabbed it from her and said, "hello?"  
"Anthony…It's Yana…Rae….blood….help." Yana was on the other line. Her voice seemed far away, drifting.  
"Yana? What? What's wrong?" he said frantically.  
"Rae…dead?…help…accident…"  
Oh my god. He thought, Rae's hurt. And from the sound of it, Yana was pretty hurt too.  
"What happened? Where are you?"  
"You've got to help…only number I remember…accident…car crash…blood…Rae…help us…"  
I'm not getting anything from her! He thought angrily.   
"WHERE ARE YOU?" he yelled into the phone. Anna looked up at him strangely. He waved his hand and she went into the other room.  
"From the mall…not the highway…back way to the mall…no houses…tree…car crash…Rae dead?…blood…help us, Anthony…" Ok, so now he knew somewhat where they were. There was a back way to the mall, the one some people took to avoid the highway. But there was a long stretch with no houses, only trees. Not many people knew about that shortcut.   
"Are you on Rae's cell phone?" he asked as calmly as he could.  
"Yes…Rae hurt…I'm hurt…"  
"Okay, you call 911. Okay? Do you hear me? 9-1-1. They will help you. I'll be right there."  
"Okay…hurry. Rae hurt."  
"I'll be right there, I'm going to hang up now and you will do what?"  
"Call 9-2-2."  
"No! 9-1-1!"  
"Okay."  
"Say it, call 9-1-1."  
"9-1…." And the phone went dead. Crap. Anthony thought. Should he call the paramedics for them? No, I don't know where exactly they are. I'll find them first.  
"Zach! I'm going! You're gonna have to play babysitter for a few hours!" He called up the stairs.  
"No way! I've already done that 5 times this week!" Zach whined.  
"Too bad," Anthony said flatly, and went out the door. Zach wouldn't go anywhere anyway.  
He got into the car and started to drive. I hope I can get to them in time. Yana had said Rae might be dead. He didn't know if he could deal with that. After all they'd been through, and that kiss-he didn't think he could go on if she wasn't alive. His heart would be ripped out of his body. He thought about her, her sky blue eyes, soft red hair, that voice that made his whole world right, how could he go on without that? It was like, before Rae he had just lived because he had to, he had to be there for his brothers and sisters. He was fine like that, but not happy. But then he met Rae, and it all made sense. He had a purpose. He woke up in the morning and actually wanted to go on.   
"Rae…" he whispered, trying to imagine what life would be like if he never saw her again. She was everything. She taught him to read, not feel like a bluebird. She got him into frickin Sanderson for crying out loud.   
"Oh my god," he was coming to the little clump of trees, and already he could see the badly damaged bug. 


	4. Anthony Arrives

Chapter 3  
  
As he got closer he saw the red stains on the grass below the car. He saw Rae first. Her head was sticking out of the passenger window. Anthony's first reaction was Oh my god, her head went through the glass. But when he stopped the car and started running to the crumpled little bug, he saw there was no glass. Anthony breathed a sigh of relief.   
"Rae! Yana! Can you guys hear me?" He yelled.  
"Anthony!" He heard someone try to say. It was Yana. He finally got to the car. He saw that Yana had pulled herself into a little ball in the driver's seat. She had a few scrapes and bruises, but there was a large bruise on her head. She was still clutching Rae's cell phone, which she must have gotten from Rae's purse, which was stuck between the seat and a big clump of car that had been bashed in. He almost fainted when he saw Rae. She her legs were trapped under the dash, which had caved in on the impact of the tree. There was a big gash on her head, and blood was dripping from her lips.  
Oh god, don't let it be internal bleeding, oh god, please, no. He practically grabbed the phone from Yana. He punched in the numbers.  
"Hello, 9-1-1. Do you have an emergency?" the friendly voice on the other line answered.  
"Yes!" Anthony yelled into the receiver, "my friends, there car smashed into a tree. One is injured, but conscious. The other one…well, she's worse and we think she might be…" he couldn't say it, he couldn't say "dead." It sounded so final. And if it was final, he didn't know if he'd be able to live like that.  
"Is she breathing? Does she have a pulse?"  
Idiot! Anthony thought, why didn't I check that? He ran with the phone to the other side of the car. Yana was humming "Mary had a little Lamb." He looked Rae over. Yes, her chest was slowly rising and falling. He gave a sigh of relief.  
"Yes, she's breathing."  
"Where are you located?"  
Anthony gave the person as much information on where they were as he could.  
"Okay, we'll send the paramedics over as soon as we can," she said, "do not move the victims, and try to keep the one who is conscious talking, do not let her black out, she could slip into a coma. And your other friend, if you can you should talk to her too, something; she runs the risk of going into a coma if she isn't already. Singing can work too."  
"I've got to get her out of there!" he said frantically.  
"No," the woman on the other end said, "do not move her. Do you hear me? Do not move her!"  
Anthony gave a shriek of frustration and threw the phone at another tree. It broke in two and Yana started singing the Whitney Huston song,  
"I believe the children are our future…" it would have been funny to him if the situation wasn't so horrible. He went back to Rae. Gotta wake her up, gotta get her out of here.  
He tried the handle of the door. No use. He gently pushed Rae's head back into the car and grabbed the side of the door. He pulled, a tiny bit of the door detached from where it was hinged to the car. He kept pulling, his muscles straining with the force. Finally it opened enough. He put his arms under her and tried to pull her out. Her legs were still stuck under the crushed dashboard.   
"Damn it!" He yelled. He used one arm to hold her shoulders, and the other to carefully as he could, pull her legs out. It worked. And although pretty cut up, she seemed okay. He laid her down in the grass next to the other side of the tree, and went over to get Yana out.  
The door was worse than the other, so he had to pull her out through the open window. She was humming a different song now, some N*SYNC song, but he didn't know which one. He put her down. She's okay, as long as I can still hear her singing then I won't worry. Now, back to Rae.  
He knelt down beside her and took her hand.  
"It's going to be okay, Rae, you're gonna make it. Please wake up…"   



	5. Running

Chapter 4  
  
  
Rae was running. The things, what were they?, were after her. She could feel their sharp claws pricking her as she ran.   
"What do you want???" she screamed, turning her head. She couldn't see a thing, only blackness.  
"Blooood…" hissed a voice, "bloooooooooood……"  
"No!" she shrieked, "Leave me alone!"  
She kept running, but it was like she was on a treadmill, she was going nowhere. She couldn't feel her feet hit the ground. Darkness was surrounding her. The things, whatever they were, were getting closer. It was getting cold, ice cold.  
"Help me!" she screamed into the forever blackness, "somebody help me!"  
"Rae…" she could hear a voice that brought an air of warmth back to her, "it's ok, it's all going to be okay," it was Anthony!  
"Anthony! Anthony, help me!" she called. She was so tired…maybe she should stop, give up…she could feel herself drifting away…  
"Rae, don't leave me, please wake up, Rae…" She could hear sadness in his voice, it brought her back down, she wasn't drifting, but those horrible things were coming closer. Suddenly thoughts came into her mind, they had that Anthony flavor to them,  
/RAE/PLEASE WAKE UP/CAN'T GO ON WITHOUT/PLEASE WAKE UP/YANA OKAY/SINGING SONGS/RAE'S GOTTA/CARE ABOUT HER SO MUCH/WHAT WOULD I DO/DON'T DIE/WAKE UP RAE/Love you/PLEASE DON'T/  
There was fear for her, a fear for Yana too, but in his mind Yana wasn't in as much danger. She was singing from what Anthony's thoughts suggested. There was also this warm feeling, it made her smile despite the creatures closing in on her. Anthony loved her, that was the warm feeling, and he was worried very much about her. Where was he? Where was she?  
The last thing she remembered was the car slamming into the tree, and then this. So this isn't real… she thought. Anthony keeps saying, "Wake up, Rae," so I must be unconscious. So what are these things chancing me? She cried out as she realized, I'm running from my own death, that's what those things are! If I can just keep running…  
"Rae, wake up, please…"  
"Don't worry, Anthony," she said, "I won't give up." And she continued to run, Anthony's voice and thoughts leading her. 


	6. How Could I Live?

Chapter 5  
  
  
He could see her eyelids flickering. She was still alive, thank god, but she was struggling.  
"You can do it Rae, you can do it. Wake up, please wake up."  
He could hear sirens over Yana's singing, which now was American Pie, that old song from the 60s or whatever. Singing…he thought. The 911 lady had said singing sometimes helps. He couldn't sing very well, but sometimes he had to sing to Anna or Danny when they couldn't sleep. He thought for a moment, only one song came to mind. He didn't know how he knew it but he had heard it on the radio a few times.  
He took a deep breath and quietly started singing the only song that fit right now.  
"How do I live, without you? I want to know. How can I breathe without you? If you ever go. How can I ever…ever…survive…" he choked on a tear. What would he do without Rae? She was everything. He squeezed her hand, "How could I, how could I live?"  
How pathetic am I? I must look like a complete Bluebird. This is not working. He thought bitterly. But he couldn't stop singing. It was the only option he had. He barely heard the Ambulance as it pulled up next to him. Paramedics were running out and slipping a stretcher under Rae. A few others were helping up Yana, who had joined Anthony in song, although badly off key. He followed them into the ambulance, still holding Rae's hand. He was whispering the song still.   
"I think she's going to be okay, she might be in a coma for a couple of days at the most…"   
He couldn't hear them. "How could I live without you, Rae…"  
She twitched her eyes, and fluttered them open.   
"Anthony…" she whispered, "you're crying."  
He smiled, "it's going to be okay, you're going to be okay," it was more relief than a statement.   
"You're crying…"  
"I thought I lost you," the tears had slowed, but one was dripping down his cheek as he said that.  
"They were chasing me…" She looked down at her hand, his was closed over it, fingertips on fingertips. "Your thoughts…you…" she said.  
He blushed, what did she hear?  
She smiled. He slowly moved his hand so that their fingertips were no longer touching, but he was still holding her hand. It was so cold.  
"Anthony…" she whispered. She was trying to tell him something, but he didn't need to hear her now. She was straining to talk, and he could see it was hurting her.   
"Shhh," he said, "don't talk, you can tell me once you're better."  
She smiled again. He looked into her clear blue eyes, they were so full of life. He was so happy that he was seeing those wonderful, beautiful eyes. He thought he'd never see them again. He stayed with her all the way to the hospital, never taking his eyes away from hers. 


	7. The Message

Chapter 6  
  
  
It had only been a week in the hospital, but still she knew there would be rumors. People would think that she had gone back to the nut house. That she was a squirrel again. Oh well, I've got Anthony, and that's all that matters.  
She hadn't told him everything that she heard. She even said she didn't remember anything after the crash. And to a point, she was telling the truth. She only remembered that somehow, she was running from her own death. She also remembered Anthony singing, she smiled remembering that. He really did care about her.  
"Rae!" she turned her head to the familiar voice. Anthony Facinelli was running up to her as soon as she stepped out of her dad's car.  
"Are you sure you're ready to come back? Have you rested enough? Is that backpack too heavy? I can carry it for you…" he stopped when he saw her laughing.  
"It's okay, really. I'm fine now. I just had a few scrapes anyway," she replied, trying not to laugh at the tone he used. Like a big brother almost, she thought. Sure, big brother. Rae Voight, I do believe you have a crush on him. She waved her hand as if waving away a bug. Sure, Anthony had saved her life more than once, and there had been that kiss---but no, he was nothing more than a friend. It would be too complicated to make anything more of that now.  
"Okay, well, let me walk you to class then," he said, sounding embarrassed at how much he had worried just a few seconds before.  
"That's okay, I can manage myself. It's late, and I still gotta get to my locker. You can't be late for class, you don't want to lose that scholarship."  
Anthony looked hurt for a moment, but nodded his head and said, "okay, I'll see you at lunch, okay? Unless you're doing that painting thing," he stopped when Rae said she was, "oh. Well, I'll see you after school then. You know where I am if you need me." And the bell rang. He turned and dashed into the school.   
Rae walked slowly into the school, pushing through the doors-  
/Where's Rae?/too much sugar/can't find/  
Cursing herself for not putting on the mush today. She shoved her hands into her pockets as she made her way to her locker. The halls were quiet, and her footsteps echoed with each step of her clogs. She tripped right before she could put down her backpack. Her hand reached out to her locker to break her fall. She gasped when a thought flew through her mind,  
/YOU'VE GOT TO GET RID OF HIM, RAE/  
That thought was so vicious, so full of hatred. It was the thought of a psychopath, that was for sure, but who? It didn't have any flavor, just hate, hate for her, hate for…who was the "him" they thought of? She brushed her fingers down the locker, nothing. Only old thoughts of hers, and other, recognizable thoughts. Nothing like that one. She reluctantly opened her locker. She almost screamed. Somebody had written in lipstick on the inside of her locker, the words GUESS WHO'S NEXT? That was reason enough to scream, but there was more. Somebody had taken a picture of Anthony. He was holding Rae's hand, she looked asleep.   
The car crash! Thought Rae frantically. Somebody had been there, spying. And on the picture of Anthony, someone had made a very detailed picture of a noose tied around his neck in permenant marker. She turned over the picture, searching for fingerprints, but none. She did find a note on the back though, it said, "BETTER GET RID OF LOVER-BOY, OR YOU GIVE HIS LIFE TO ME…"  
She gasped. Somebody wanted her alone. And if they had to kill Anthony, they would.  



	8. The Separation of the Bluebirds and the ...

Chapter 7  
  
  
Damn, if only I had more classes with Rae. Thought Anthony as he walked to Math class. He had visited her everyday in the hospital, making sure she was okay. She shouldn't be back in school. She needs to rest! But he tried to push the thought from his head, she seemed okay when he had talked to her before class. And things were getting better every day with her. He was thinking now that it wouldn't be so strange if they were….a couple? He smiled and continued to the math room.  
He pushed open the doors, there was Marcus and the other guys, laughing and goofing off. He took a desk next to Vince and put down his backpack.  
"Hey Facinelli! Great game the other day!" said Marcus.  
"Yeah, we whipped their asses!" Replied Anthony.  
"Hey," said a guy with dark hair Anthony didn't recognize, "I heard Rae Voight got another trip to the loony bin last week!"   
Anthony felt the rage building up already, how dare they, he thought bitterly.  
"Yeah, I thought she was better," chimed in Salkow, "once a nut, always a nut I guess. Too bad too…she was pretty hot."  
"Ha-ha! Hey, Facinelli, what do YOU think about Rae the Frayed?"  
"I think you guys need a life," he snapped. The others looked around in amazement.  
"Ooooh! Anthony's got a crush on the squirrel!"  
"Don't talk about her that way, she's okay," he clenched his fists. Stay calm…don't let them get to you…  
"She broke down in the cafeteria because she thought somebody was talking about her dead mother or something…she is a fruitcake. I tried to get back together with her, but look, she has another breakdown. Another hospital trip. I give up. She's a freak."  
He couldn't help it anymore. He swung his fist and caught Salkow in the nose. He stood there dumbly for a few seconds and then returned the punch.   
"Facinelli you loser! Why the hell'd you punch Marcus?" said the guy with dark hair.  
"Rae is not a freak, I've spent some time with her and she's okay. I guess I just lost it. There was a guy at my old school who'd call me that cuz I…uh…have a little trouble reading. So I can relate." He gulped, it was too much. But he had stood up for Rae. Hopefully they would take the bait.  
"Oh, poor Anthony," said Vince mockingly, but the other guys seemed to get it.  
"Yeah, I guess so. We were just joking anyway…still, she can creep me out." Okay, good enough. Anthony thought as Vince said that.   
The teacher walked into the room. Marcus mumbled something about tripping and falling onto his desk and was excused to the nurse. Anthony wasn't bruised too badly. Math ended soon enough and he bolted out the door.  
Finally, school is over. He thought happily as he walked out the double doors into the sunlight. Rae was standing there. Her red hair at her shoulders, framing her face.  
"Rae!" he called. Maybe she needed a ride home? Any time with her at all would be fine, he just wanted to see her. Make sure she was okay. That crash had really scared him. He thought he had lost her.  
"Uh, hey." She said, avoiding eye contact completely.  
"Do you need a ride home?" he asked. Strange, he thought, she doesn't seem to want to talk to me.  
"Uh, no. I need to talk to you," she still would not meet his eyes. Maybe she wants to be your girlfriend! He thought, suddenly feeling kind of fuzzy inside. But that didn't make much sense. Nice thought, not realistic.  
"Okay," she said once she didn't think anyone was watching or listening, "I've been meaning to talk to you about this. I am very grateful for what you've done, and for saving my life those couple times. But I think you've taken this the wrong way."  
"What?" asked Anthony, he could barely speak, what was she trying to say?  
"You showed me I wasn't crazy. I was so happy…I had to repay you. So I got you into Sanderson."  
"Wha-" but he didn't have time to finish, Rae continued.  
"Then you saved me from the kidnappers at the hotel, so I let you kiss me. I repaid you again."  
Oh my god, oh my god. I am such an idiot. What is going on? I am such an idiot…  
Rae kept talking, every word was a knife in the heart. He had cared about her, even loved her, but he was an idiot to think she felt the same way.  
"And that whole car thing…well, here's how I'm making it up to you. I see the way you look at me, and I am stopping this little fascination right now. I do not see you how you see me, and I'm sorry if I lead you the wrong way. I don't want you to be lead along anymore."  
This wasn't Rae. It couldn't be. She was not this cruel. There had been something, and she wouldn't just drop him like this.   
"Rae, what has happened to you?" he asked numbly. He felt nothing. Only pain. Not physical pain, just ache. He wanted to drop dead right then and there.  
"I'm perfectly fine," now she was looking into his eyes, forcing contact, "We are just too different to be together, at all. It's for your own good. But I guess its like you said, I'm a cardinal. And you're just a little bitty bluebird. I'm sorry."  



	9. Alone

Chapter 8  
  
  
I wasn't sure if my little surprise would work…if you would tell that big oaf about it. He would have convinced you that he was tough enough for anything. Even me. So I would have had to pull him away from you myself. But I didn't have to, did I? You did it for me. And you don't know how very grateful I am for that, Rae. Because you are even more alone now, and soon, very soon, I will have my revenge. But I must make sure he will not be bothering me…but soon enough you will be truly alone. And you will die. You will die, Rae. And nobody will be able to wake you up.  
  
  
She cried. She could not stop the tears. After Anthony had run away like that…she knew she hurt him. She could see it in his eyes from the second she started talking. But she had to do it. For his own safety.  
"I am such a horrible person," she whispered to her pillow. Yana had driven her home. She had seen how upset Rae was, and didn't say anything the entire ride home except "You can call me anytime, you know that." And drove away.  
But Rae didn't want to talk. Or paint, or breathe, or live at all. She felt awful. She felt like a part of her was just ripped out of her body that could never been replaced. She had felt it when she was unconscious after the crash, when their fingertips touched. That warm feeling, Anthony's love for her. And she had loved him too. But now he was gone from her life.  
It was so hard to act so cruel, to play that awful part. She had to keep her eyes away from his, those chocolate brown eyes…but at the end she knew she had to, otherwise he would know something was wrong.   
"I saved his life," she reminded herself, "whoever is after me won't get him now."  
She fell asleep in tears. In her dreams she was back in the parking lot of the hotel, when her and Anthony had kissed, but something was pulling him away, pulling him into the darkness. The demons she had been running from when she had blacked out in the car crash had returned, and she was running again. But this time, she was running from a flock of bluebirds.   
She woke up with a start and got ready for school. She actually rode the bus. She never rode the bus to school, but today she didn't want to talk to her dad, or Yana, or anybody.  
When she got there she pushed open the doors, without the mush she picked up a few thoughts,  
Facinelli?/Poor guy/In the papers/  
Rae wondered what it all meant, but she didn't have to wait long. Jackie was running up to her, long blonde hair flowing over her shoulders.  
"Rae! Rae, it's so horrible!"  
"Jackie? What? What happened?" She asked nervously. She knew she wasn't going to like what she heard.  
"It's Anthony! Oh, oh Rae! He's dead!" She shoved a newspaper in her face. Rae read it aloud,  
"Anthony Facinelli, recently accepted to Sanderson High, has supposedly committed suicide," she stopped oh no, oh god no. She continued with a lump in her throat, "his mother's car was found in the Georgia River, eye witnesses say they saw Facinelli drive off the bridge. The body has not yet been found."   
"It's so sad, so horrible, and I only just saw him yesterday. He seemed so…normal! Not depressed or anything!"  
"Anthony…" Rae moaned sadly, "and I- oh my god. I'm never going to see him again!" she fell over. She barely heard Jackie telling her to get up, asking her what was wrong. All she could say was,  
"Anthony…Oh Anthony…" I really did love him. I did. And he died thinking I hated him. That he was a bluebird. Oh my god. Anthony…  
And she just stayed there, lying on the floor, letting her tears soak into the rug.  



	10. Lying in the Dark

Well! Thank you for the WONDERFUL reviews!!! I got 6 reviews!!! he he!!! Here's the next chapter...tricked yah, didn't I? hehe!  
  
~*~Ashley~*~  
  
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Chapter 9   
  
It didn't seem right. Anthony…gone? This had to be a dream. Any minute she'd wake up and he'd be right there, just like always. He wouldn't do it because…because I said that to him…would he? She asked herself. She had been sent home after she collapsed in the hallway. She could not bring herself to say it, that he was gone. The body is still missing. She told herself. There's still a chance… But she knew the chances of that were a bazillion to one, She concluded. It seemed too perfect, too planned. She gets the note from the one who wants her dead, saying that she had to get rid of Anthony, and then the next day he conveniently kills himself? I didn't push him away sooner, I should have as soon as I sensed he was in danger…if I did, hell, if I did he would probably still be here. She elapsed into a fit of tears again. She was glad her dad wasn't home, if he was he would probably be worried sick about her. She almost didn't hear the phone ring. Suddenly, her tears stopped and she picked up the receiver. "H-h-hello?" she said dreamily. She wasn't here. She was in some other far away place, where the pain was drifting. There was no answer. "Is anyone there?" she heard a breath on the other end. Who the hell was it? "I'm hanging up." She said into the phone. "He's not dead." Said a voice that most definitely was being disguised under a voice changer. Like in the scream movies. That brought her back to earth. "What? Who is this?" she said frantically. She hoped to god this wasn't a joke, if it was…well, she was willing to risk anything to get back Anthony. "It's just what they want you to think. The clues are all there, you've just got to look a little harder." "Please, tell me, who are you? Where is Anthony? If he's not dead, then where the hell is he!" She screamed into the phone. "A friend." And she heard the soft click as they hung up the phone. "Nooo!" she slammed the phone down in frustration. Whoever it was wanted her to find Anthony, but they wouldn't tell her who they were. Maybe they worked for whoever was chasing her? I've got to call Yana. She thought. But she was too tired. It wasn't even five and she was so tired. She flopped down on her bed and fell into a deep, deep sleep. She dreamed she was back at the hotel. But this time, she was in the bathroom, like Yana. She could hear somebody in the next room struggling with another person. "Can anyone hear me?!" she screamed. But her words seemed to fall from her mouth and drop to the floor. "NO! You leave Rae ALONE! DO YOU HEAR ME YOU FRICKIN BASTARDS??? You can kill me if you want, but DO NOT LAY ONE FINGER ON RAE!!!" this was followed by a yelp of pain. It was Anthony! "Anthony!" she screamed. "Oh dear God, please, no! NOOO!!!" He screamed in agony. Somebody was hurting him. She pounded on the bathroom door, "Let me out! Leave him alone! You want me, not him! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" but the screaming in the next room continued. Then they suddenly stopped. Somebody started to laugh. An insane, mechanical laugh. Rae stepped back, horrified at the sound. She kept stepping back until she bumped against a solid brick wall. The bathroom melted away, and she was in a small, brick room. A bright red door with a silver handle was at the front of the room. The laughter continued, growing louder and louder. The handle of the door started to twist. She screamed and screamed, she didn't know what was behind that door, all she knew was that it was horrible, terrible, it was what killed Anthony and she knew it. She begged and begged whoever, whatever it was not to open the door, but the laughter just got louder. She woke up in a sweat the next morning. She had slept a long time. She stared in a daze at the clock. It was ten in the morning. Rae nearly fell out of bed in the hurry to get on her clothes. Then she remembered, duh. It was an in-service day at her school. That's when all the teachers have a day long meeting about the school, but no students. She had the day off. She was going to find him. Even if it killed her, she was going to find him. "Let me out!" Called Anthony in a drugged slur. Finally, the gag was off. It had taken him long enough to slide it off. "I want…get me out!" His mind was fuzzy, like after a pot buzz. He remembered being shoved to the ground, tied, and put into something…a truck? Car? He couldn't remember how they had drugged him. A needle maybe? Hard to remember. "WHERE AM I???" He had woken up only an hour ago, to find himself in total and complete darkness. He was all tied up, and a loose gag covering his mouth. It has something to do with Rae, I know it does. He thought. Maybe she was here…maybe tied up too. He called for her, trying to form the sounds in his mouth but failing. What came out sounded like he was yelling, "Ryeeeee!" He was tired, every time he tried to pick himself up off the cold cement floor, he fell back down in agony. "Where is Rae?" He screamed again, "What the hell did you do to her you friggin bastards?" I bet I could get these damn ropes off if I tried hard enough. He thought. But suddenly, a wild, ear piercing laughter filled the halls. He could almost put a face to the sound…but his mind was fogged over with the drugs. "Don't tell me you haven't figured it out, Anthony! She's dead!" This time, the voice was disguised. Somebody had one of those things that changed your voice, like in the "Scream" movies. In fact, it sounded exactly like the killer in the movies. Anthony almost laughed, but then yelled again, "LIAR!" he howled. She couldn't be dead…but where was she? Was she here with him, wherever HERE is? "Don't want to accept it, Anthony? Do you feel guilty that you weren't there to protect you're little Rae of sunshine?" The mechanical laughter filled the room again. "Shut up shut up! I don't believe you!" He felt like crying…the thought of not seeing her everyday…even though she said those horrible things to him, he still didn't want her to be dead. "Or maybe you're happy…she used you, she used you to protect herself…and when she didn't need you anymore…" "SHUT THE HELL UP!" "Ah. I see…" the sentence hung in the air. A sharp pain pricked his side. Another needle. His last thought before he passed out again was I wish it wasn't so damn dark.  
  
If only Rae knew how close he really was. 


End file.
